2005 Saturn Ion: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 755 complaints
755
Total Complaints
61,000mi
Median Mileage
STEERING
Top Issue
49
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

38,171 25th Percentile
61,000 Median Mileage
98,500 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

STEERING
255
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
173
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
38
AIR BAGS
29
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
23
ENGINE
22
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
21
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
20
POWER TRAIN
13
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
13

Severity Assessment

49
Crashes
5
Fires
29
Injuries
0
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"UPON DRIVING THE INDICATOR LIGHTS ILLUMINATED THE DASHBOARD. CONSUMER STATED THAT THE FUEL GAUGE DID NOT INDICATE HOW MUCH GAS WAS IN THE VEHICLE. THE SPEEDOMETER FAILED. CONSUMER CONTACTED SATURN, THEY CHECKED THE VEHICLE THREE TIMES BUT THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK"
"UPON DRIVING THE INDICATOR LIGHTS ILLUMINATED THE DASHBOARD. CONSUMER STATED THAT THE FUEL GAUGE DID NOT INDICATE HOW MUCH GAS WAS IN THE VEHICLE. THE SPEEDOMETER FAILED. CONSUMER CONTACTED SATURN, THEY CHECKED THE VEHICLE THREE TIMES BUT THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK"
"CAR PURCHASED ON 2/26/05. FIRST TIME DRIVEN ON HIGHWAY, A 20" PIECE OF THE RAIN DRIP PANEL FLEW OFF. DEALER STATES CAR MUST HAVE BEEN HIT BY ROCK, BUT THERE WAS NO OTHER TRAFFIC IN FRONT OF VEHICLE. DEALER ALSO SAID THIS IS "EXPECTED BEHAVIOR" IF HIT BY DEBRIS AT OVER 35 MPH. IF HIT BY DEBRIS, WAS S..."

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28